FR2664402A1 - PACKET SHIPPING PROCESSING SYSTEM. - Google Patents

Abstract

Package shipment processing system comprising a set of memories (2) called files on the one hand containing identifications of carriers, shippers, departments of each carrier, documents to accompany each shipment and authorizations of each shipper with regard to carriers and services, and on the other hand receiving characteristics relating to each shipment, a programmed control unit (3) coupled to said files, to develop and control the storage of the characteristics of each shipment, means of editing (10-13 of documents to generate the documents for each shipment, said editing means comprising a postage meter (13), the system further comprising a scale (14), characterized in that it comprises an electronic card (20) fitting into the processing unit and ensuring control of the link with said franking machine (13) and with said scale (14), and ensuring control and locking of the system software by intervening in the exchanges between the programmed control assembly (3) and all the memories (2).

Description

PACKET SHIPPING PROCESSING SYSTEM

  The present invention relates to a system for processing packet shipments. This system makes it possible to process packet shipments, coming from different senders, which are to be routed to different recipients by different carriers.

can be public or private.

  In patent 88,03277 of March 14, 1988, there was described a system for processing packet shipments allowing, from the data defining for each shipment a recipient and a carrier with a carrier service to be used, the routing shipments received from different senders to their respective recipients by different carriers, characterized in that it comprises: first memories which constitute, on the one hand, a file of carriers containing characteristics specific to carriers usable in the system and relating to the individual identification of the carriers themselves and the identification, for each of them, of possible services and types of documents that must accompany each shipment for each service, and, on the other hand, a file of shippers containing characteristics specific to users using the system and relating to individual identification of the shippers themselves and for each of them the identification of each transporter that he can use with each service of this transporter to which he is entitled, a second memory which constitutes a file of the shipments, a means of entry data relating to each shipment, document editing means, a programmed control unit coupled to said files, with input means and editing means and 2 - comprising means for pre-processing of shipments, ensuring a data entry and verification of data entered from the files of carriers and shippers, shipment processing means, assigning to each shipment an individual reference defining with the data entered and verified the characteristics of the shipment concerned so-called processed and memorizing the characteristics of each shipment processed in a shipment sheet in the expeditions file editions, and means for ordering document editions allowing the generation of documents identified in the file of the carriers from the shipping form of the file of

  shipments, for the shipment concerned.

  The system includes a balance coupled to said

set programmed.

  Editing means include a postage meter and printers for other documents

  as postage stickers.

  The first memories also constitute a file of destination countries containing characteristics specific to said countries and relating to their identification on the one hand with regard to prices, and on the other hand with regard to documents specific to services

for these countries.

  Such a system is an association or group of carriers to which users address themselves, to

  shipping or receiving packages.

  Such a system requires frequent updating, due to the changes which occur in the parameters used and in particular: changes in postal rates, modifications to the documents accompanying the packages, etc. This update, carried out by the system manufacturer, is an operation which requires an investment, due to the need for 3 - constant monitoring of the regulations and prices in force, their interpretation and their concretization in the form of an update disk which will be used in the A first object of the invention is to prevent a user of the system, having several systems in service, from being tempted to acquire only one update diskette, and to reproduce this

  floppy disk for use on other systems.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a system which can use any programmed control unit (for example a commercial PC) with any

what a franking machine.

  The subject of the invention is a system for processing packet shipments making it possible, from the data defining for each shipment a recipient and a carrier with a carrier service to be used, the routing of the shipments received from different senders to their respective recipients. by different carriers, comprising: first memories which constitute, on the one hand, a file of carriers containing characteristics specific to carriers usable in the system and relating to the individual identification of the carriers themselves and to the identification, for each of them, of possible services and types of documents that must accompany each shipment for each service, and, on the other hand, a file of senders containing characteristics specific to users using the system and relating to the individual identification of the senders themselves themselves and for each of them at the same specification of each carrier that he can use with each service of this carrier to which he is entitled, a second memory which constitutes a file of shipments, 4 - a means of entering data relating to each shipment, means of editing the documents, a programmed control unit coupled to said files, to the input means and to the editing means and comprising means for pre-processing of the shipments, ensuring data entry and verification of the data entered from the carriers' files and senders, means of processing the consignments, assigning to each consignment an individual reference defining with the entered and verified data characteristics of the consignment concerned said then treated and memorizing the characteristics of each consignment treated in a consignment note in the file of the expeditions, and the means of ordering editions of documents perme being the generation of documents identified in the carrier file from the shipment sheet of the shipment file, for the shipment concerned, said system comprising a balance coupled to said programmed assembly, said editing means comprising a franking machine and printers for documents other than postage stamps, the first memories also constituting a file of destination countries containing characteristics specific to said countries and relating to their identification on the one hand with regard to rates, and on the other hand with regard to the documents specific to services for these countries, characterized in that it comprises an electronic card inserting into the processing unit and ensuring control of the connection with said franking machine and with said balance, and ensuring a control and a locking of the software of the system by intervening in the exchanges between the whole pr control schedule and

all memories.

  Said card is connected on the one hand by a bus to the franking machine and the balance, and on the other hand,

  by a bus to the programmed command set.

  Said card comprises a microcontroller associated with a read-only memory containing an initialization program, a random access memory containing an application program and a specific component containing the lists of documents to be printed and price calculations.

  which constitute the system configuration.

  Said specific component contains a system number (Ni), a secret number (N 2), an encryption table (Tl) common to all systems and an encryption table (T 2) specific to the card, the wiping disks up to date received by the user having their data encrypted by the pair (Ni, Tl) and which can only be used in the system program encrypted

by the couple (N 2, T 2).

  The card application program is deleted when the data exchange with the system program

  exceeds a predetermined duration.

  The invention will be clearly understood from the description

  given below of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the attached drawing in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the dispatch processing system according to the invention FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the package system board fitted to the

system of the invention.

  In Figure 1, there is shown in solid lines the elements of the system which have been described in the above-mentioned patent, and in dashed lines, the elements

  additional provided according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the reference 1 designates a central processing unit comprising a set of memories 2 called files, a programmed command set 3, a memory for specific command functions 4 and a 6 - calendar clock 5 The set of memories 2, memory 4 and calendar clock are coupled to the set

programmed 3 by internal buses.

  The system further comprises a keyboard 6 and a screen 7 coupled to the central processing unit 1, for dialogue with an operator, means for generating documents such as printers, here three in number bearing the references 10, Il and 12, and assigned to the edition of specific documents The printers are connected to the keyboard and to the screen, as well as to the central processing unit, by buses each connected to a bus

common access 15.

  The system is completed by a

frank 13 and a balance 14.

  All the above elements have been described in the aforementioned patent to which the reader may refer for

More details.

  According to the present invention, the system comprises a card called a packet system card, 20, inserted from

  preferably in the central processing unit.

  A first role of the card 20 is to ensure control of the connection with the franking machine and with the scale 14; for this, the card 20 is connected directly, by a bus 21 A, to the franking machine 13

and to the balance 14.

  Another role of the card 20 is to ensure the control and locking of the system, by intervening in the exchanges between the programmed set of command 3 and the set of memories 2; for this purpose, card 20 is

  connected by a bus 21 B to the programmed control unit 3.

  The structure and operation of the card 21 will appear in the light of the explanations given with reference to FIG. 2, which represents the diagram

organization of the map.

  7 - The card 20 revolves around a microcontroller 22 associated with a read only memory 23 and

a random access memory 24.

  The ROM 23 contains an initialization program which allows the software of the microcontroller 22 to be loaded with the program

  application content in RAM 24.

  The card application program is loaded when the system programs using the card are launched; the application program is stopped at the

exit from these programs.

  The card application program is deleted: by order of the system software, during a power cut or removal of the card from the central unit, when data exchange with the program

  of the system does not meet a predetermined duration.

  The card 20 is supplemented by a specific component 25, connected to the microcontroller, and which contains in memories the lists of the documents to be printed and calculations of authorized tariffs, which constitute the configuration of the system These lists are determined during the configuration of the system and listed in

card memories.

  The specific component 25 also contains: a system number N1, specific to the system, a secret number, specific to the card, an encryption table Ti, common to all the systems,

  an encryption table T 2, specific to the card.

  The diskettes for updating or changing tariffs received by the user of the system have their data encrypted by the pair Nl, Tl. This data, once transferred into the system, can only be used by its program if they are encrypted by

the couple N 2, T 2.

  8 - The presence, in the central processing unit of the system, of the card 20, avoids any risk of fraud on the part of the user of the system, since the update diskettes can only be used on his system . Furthermore, any attempt to benefit from services or prices to which the user is not entitled will be doomed to failure since the specific component contains limiting lists of documents

correspondents and tariffs.

  Finally, any attempt to decrypt the codes or encryption used will be thwarted, since these attempts will require a duration exceeding the normal duration of use of the system, which will cause erasure.

  of the card application program.

  The card contains interfaces 26 and 27 for the connections respectively with the programmed set of

  control 3 and the franking machine 13 and the balance 14.

  The card can include additional outputs such as 28 and 29, for the connection of

additional peripherals.

-9 -

Claims (4)

  l / Packet shipment processing system allowing, from the data defining for each shipment a recipient and a carrier with a carrier service to use, the routing of shipments received from different shippers to their respective recipients by different carriers, comprising : first memories which constitute, on the one hand, a file of carriers containing characteristics specific to carriers usable in the system and relating to the individual identification of the carriers themselves and to the identification, for each of them, of possible services and types of documents that must accompany each shipment for each service, and, on the other hand, a file of senders containing characteristics specific to users using the system and relating to the individual identification of the senders themselves and for each from them to the identification of each tran sportsman that he can use with each service of this transporter to which he is entitled, a second memory which constitutes a file of expeditions, a means of entering data relating to each expedition, means of editing documents, a programmed set control coupled to said files, to the input means and to the editing means and comprising means of pre-processing of the shipments, ensuring data entry and verification of the data entered from the files of the carriers and shippers, shipment processing means, assigning to each shipment an individual reference defining with the data entered and verified the characteristics of the shipment concerned so-called - processed and memorizing the characteristics of each shipment processed in a shipment sheet in the shipment file , and control means for editing documents allowing the generation of do cuments identified in the carrier file from the shipment file of the shipment file, for the shipment concerned, said system comprising a balance coupled to said programmed assembly, said editing means comprising a franking machine and printers for documents other than postage stamps, the first memories also constituting a file of destination countries containing characteristics specific to said countries and relating to their identification on the one hand with regard to rates, and on the other hand with regard to documents specific to services for these countries, characterized in that it comprises an electronic card (20) fitting into the processing unit (1) and ensuring control of the connection with said franking machine (13) and with said balance (14), and ensuring control and locking of the system software by intervening in the exchanges between the progra control mm   (3) and all of the memories (2).   2 / System according to claim 1, characterized in that said card (20) is connected on the one hand by a bus (21 A) to the franking machine (13) and to the balance (14), and on the other leaves, via a bus (21 B) to the programmed control unit. 3 / System according to claim 2, characterized in that said card (20) comprises a microcontroller (22), associated with a read only memory containing an initialization program, a random access memory (24) containing an application program and a specific component (25) containing the lists of documents to be printed and authorized tariff calculations which constitute the system configuration.   4 / System according to claim 3, characterized in that said specific component contains a system number (Nl), a secret number (N 2), an encryption table (Tl) common to all systems and an encryption table ( T 2) specific to the card, the update disks received by the user having their data encrypted by the pair (Nl, Tl) and which cannot be used in the   system program only encrypted by the couple (N 2, T 2).   / System according to one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the card application program is deleted when the data exchange with the   system program exceeds a predetermined time.